Ieper - YouTube Ieper Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Aug 2, 2014 Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. Though Ieper is the Dutch and only official name, the city's French name, Ypres, is most commonly used in English due to its role in World War I when only French was in official use in Belgian documents, including on maps. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote. Together, they are home to some 34,900 inhabitants. During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense and sustained battles between German and Allied forces.

During the war, because the British troops had trouble pronouncing its name, they nicknamed the city "Wipers". Category Ypres Webcam - Web cam in Ieper region, Belgium Description: View of the Cloth Hall in Ypres Main Square Location Information: Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ieper and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote. Together, they count some 34,900 inhabitants. During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense and sustained battles between the German and the Allied forces. During the war, Tommies nicknamed the city "Wipers." Local Weather: Map of Ypres - Ypres Map Search Engine Map of Ypres World Map Finder, Map of Ypres. The best web resource for Map of Ypres. World Map Finder - helping you find your way. Ypres Ypres (; ; , ) is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders.

Though Ieper is the Dutch and only official name, The French Ypres is most commonly used in English for its role in World War I, when Belgian maps still named Flemish cities only by their French names. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote. Together, they count some 34,900 inhabitants. During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense and sustained battles between the German and the Allied forces. During the war, because it was hard to pronounce in English, British troops nicknamed the city "Wipers". Real estate properties for sale in Ypres Belgium Real estate properties for sale in Ypres Belgium: 2 Paterstraat 7 8900 Ieper Belgium Exact address Paterstraat 9 8900 Ieper Belgium Exact address About the municipality of Ypres Description of the municipality Ypres (Dutch: Ieper) is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders.

Though Ieper is the Dutch and only official name, the city's French name, Ypres, is most commonly used in English due to its role in World War I when only French was in official use in Belgian documents, including on maps. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote. Together, they are home to some 34,900 inhabitants. During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense and sustained battles between German and Allied forces. During the war, because the British troops had trouble pronouncing its name, they nicknamed the city "Wipers". Properties for sale in the municipality of Ypres Map - Ypres (Ieper) - MAP[N]ALL.COM Map - Ypres (Ieper) World > Europe > Belgium > Flanders > West Flanders > Arrondissement of Ypres > Ieper > Ypres Ypres (Ieper) Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders.

Though Ieper is the Dutch and only official name, the French Ypres is most commonly used in English for its role in World War I, when Belgian maps still named Flemish cities only by their French names. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote. Together, they count some 34,900 inhabitants. During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense and sustained battles between the German and the Allied forces. During the war, because it was hard to pronounce in English, British troops nicknamed the city "Wipers". Copyright West Flanders, Belgium > Worldwide travel guide (Cities) | MobilyTrip This article relates to the Belgian coastal town of Blankenberge. For German towns with the near-homophonous name Blankenberg, see Blankenberg (disambiguation) Blankenberge ( Dutch pronunciation: [ˈblɑŋkəmbɛrɣə]) is a town and a municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders.

The municipality comprises the town of Blankenberge proper and the settlement of Uitkerke. On 1 December 2011, Blankenberge had a total population of 19,322. The total area of the municipality is 17.41 km², giving a population density of 1,110 inhabitants per km². Like most other Flemish coastal towns, a main characteristic of this one is that it is a national and to a certain extent international seaside resort. Apart from the sandy beach, there's a structure unique along the Belgian coast: a 350-m long pier, constructed in 1933. De Haan ( Belgium / West Flanders ) See also De Haan (disambiguation) for other uses. De Haan (French: Le Coq) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of De Haan proper, Klemskerke, Vlissegem and Wenduine. On January 1, 2006 De Haan had a total population of 11,925.

The total area is 42.17 km² which gives a population density of 283 inhabitants per km². The coastal village of De Haan proper has maintained a low skyline so its many buildings in Belle Époque style are still prominently visible. The town has a 18-hole golf course situated in its dunes, founded by King Leopold II in 1903. Today, it is the only links course in the country.[citation needed] Its most famous resident was Albert Einstein, who lived in the villa "Savoyarde" for six months in 1933 after leaving Nazi Germany. Kortrijk (English also Courtray; official name in Dutch: Kortrijk, pronounced [ˈkɔrtrɛi̯k]); French: Courtrai, pronounced: [kuʁtʁɛ]; Latin: Cortoriacum) is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province West Flanders. It is the capital and biggest city of the arrondissement of Kortrijk, which is both a judicial and an administrative arrondissement.

The wider municipality comprises the city of Kortrijk proper and the villages of Aalbeke, Bellegem, Bissegem, Heule, Kooigem, Marke, and Rollegem. The city is situated on the Leie, 42 km (26 mi) southwest of Ghent and 25 km (16 mi) northeast of Lille in France. Both Kortrijk and Lille are part of the same transnational Eurodistrict urban area with around 1,900,000 inhabitants. As the biggest city of southern West Flanders, Kortrijk has many schools, hospitals and shopping streets. Kortrijk originated from a Gallo-Roman town, called Cortoriacum at a crossroads near the Leie river and two Roman roads. During the Middle Ages, Kortrijk grew significantly thanks to the flax and wool industry with France and England and became one of the biggest and richest cities in Flanders.

The city is often referred to as City of Groeninge or City of the Golden Spurs, referring to the Battle of Courtrai or the Battle of the Golden Spurs which took place on 11 July 1302 on the Fields of Groeninge in Kortrijk. In 1820, the Treaty of Kortrijk was signed, which laid out the current borders between France and Belgium. Throughout the 19th and 20th century, Kortrijk became a center of the flax industry and remains an important region within the Belgian textile industry today. Today, Kortrijk is the largest city in southern West-Flanders with several hospitals, colleges and a university. Kortrijk was the first city in Belgium with a pedestrian shopping street, called the Korte Steenstraat. Nowadays, a big part of the historical city center is a complete pedestrian area with lots of shops and shopping malls such as the new covered K Shopping Centre and the Ring Shopping Kortrijk Noord centre).

Bruges ( Belgium / West Flanders ) Bruges ( /ˈbruːʒ/ in English; Dutch: Brugge, [ˈbrʏʝə], French: Bruges, [ˈbʁyːʒ], German: Brügge, [ˈbrʏɡə]) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country. The historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. It is oval-shaped and about 430 hectares in size. The area of the whole city amounts to more than 13,840 hectares, including 1,075 hectares off the coast, at Zeebrugge (meaning "Brugge aan Zee" or "Bruges on Sea"). The city's total population is 117,073 (1 January 2008), of which around 20,000 live in the historic centre.

The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of 616 km² and has a total of 255,844 inhabitants as of 1 January 2008. Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam, it is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North". Bruges has a significant economic importance thanks to its port. At one time, it was the "chief commercial city" of the world. Damme ( Belgium / West Flanders ) Damme is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, six kilometres northeast of Brugge (Bruges). The municipality comprises the city of Damme proper and the villages of Hoeke, Lapscheure, Moerkerke, Oostkerke, Sijsele, Vivenkapelle, and Sint-Rita. On 1 January 2006, the municipality had a population of 10,899. The total area is 89.52 km², giving a population density of 122 inhabitants per km².

In the 13th century, Damme was the port for Bruges, to which it was linked by the river Reie. The river has now been canalised into the long, straight, treelined and picturesque Damse Vaart, which continues across the Dutch border to Sluis. The line of the town's star-shaped fortifications can still be traced by lines of tall poplar trees and in places by a moat. It was the site of the Battle of Damme, fought on 30 and 31 May 1213. Well-known Damme inhabitants include Jacob van Maerlant, a medieval poet and the town clerk of Damme until his death in around 1300, and Karel Verleye, co-founder of the Bruges College of Europe, who died in Damme in 2002. Menen is also a variation of the Nauruan district's name Meneng Menen ( Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmeːnə(n)], French: Menin, West Flemish dialect: Mêenn [ˈmeːnən] or Mêende [ˈmeːndə]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders.

The municipality comprises the city of Menen proper and the towns of Lauwe and Rekkem. The city is situated on the French/Belgian border. On January 1, 2006, Menen had a total population of 32,413. The total area is 33.07 km² which gives a population density of 980 inhabitants per km². The city of Menen gives its name to the Menin Gate in Ypres which is a monument to those killed in World War I. The gate is so called as the road from that gate is the road to Menen. Kuurne ( Belgium / West Flanders ) Kuurne is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises only the town of Kuurne proper. On January 1, 2006 Kuurne had a total population of 12,591. The total area is 10.01 km² which gives a population density of 1258 inhabitants per km². Inhabitants from Kuurne are nicknamed 'donkeys'.

This is said to be a term of derision given to them by the people of nearby Kortrijk because traders from Kuurne habitually set off for the Kortrijk market at an early hour, their ass-drawn carts laden with vegetables. Awoken by the rattle of the cart wheels and the braying of the asses, the people of Kortrijk exclaimed: "It's those asses from Kuurne again!" An alternative, more legendary explanation originates from the tale of a priest who had to hold a funeral on Ash Wednesday. He asked the sacrister to take over his regular service, but unfortunately the latter couldn't remember the Latin words "Memento, homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris" (Remember, man, that dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return), which are to be proclaimed while applying a cross of ash to the foreheads of the churchgoers. Later the priest spoke to him in exasperation, saying: "You were born an ass, and you will die an ass!" "Aha," said the sacrister, "I'll remember that!" and so saying, he continued giving the people of Kuurne their crosses of ash.

The best-known ass in Kuurne is 'Ambroos' (Ambrose), a larger-than-life and somewhat stylised statue in front of the town hall. It's interesting to note that as well as a big bouquet, the winner of the annual pro cycling race Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne also receives a soft toy version of 'Ambroos' to wave from the stage. Nieuwpoort ( Belgium / West Flanders ) Nieuwpoort is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Nieuwpoort proper and the towns of Ramskapelle and Sint-Joris. On January 1, 2008 Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062. The total area is 31.00 km² which gives a population density of 350 inhabitants per km². The current mayor of Nieuwpoort is Rolland Crabbe (CD&V) In Nieuwpoort, the Yser flows into the North Sea.

It is also the home of a statue created by Jan Fabre called Searching for Utopia De Panne ( Belgium / West Flanders ) De Panne is a municipality located along the North Sea coast of the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Adinkerke and De Panne proper. On 1 January 2006 De Panne had a total population of 10,060. The total area is 23.90 km² which gives a population density of 421 inhabitants per km². De Panne is the most western point in Belgium and borders France. Famous people that lived or died in De Panne include King Albert I and Queen Elizabeth of Belgium (lived there during World War I), and John Aidan Liddell, VC, who died in De Panne in August 1915. De Panne is home to Plopsaland, a themepark aimed at young children and located at the former Meli-Park. De Panne was also the place where the first land yachts intended for sport were built and used by the Dumont brothers in 1898.

On 17 July 1831, Leopold I, the first Belgian king, sailed to Calais from England, and arrived in Belgium in De Panne. The Leopold I Esplanade, which includes a statue of him, commemorates his arrival. Bredene ( Belgium / West Flanders ) Bredene is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality only comprises the town of Bredene proper. On January 1, 2006 Bredene had a total population of 15,118. The total area is 13.08 km² which gives a population density of 1156 inhabitants per km². There is a nude beach (the only one in Belgium) near tram stop "Bredene Renbaan (Hippodroom)". Bredene is situated at the Belgian coast and makes its income mostly out of tourism. In the period of July and August, the population doubles due to many events that attract people from everywhere. Staden ( Belgium / West Flanders ) Staden is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders.

The municipality comprises the towns of Oostnieuwkerke, Staden proper and Westrozebeke. On January 1, 2006 Staden had a total population of 10,969. The total area is 46.24 km² which gives a population density of 237 inhabitants per km². The municipality of Staden is one of the most important areas of Europe for the production of frozen vegetables (cauliflowers, Brussels Sprouts, etc.) Some of the largest frozen vegetables production companies like Horafrost, Pinguin (which is noted on Euronext Brussels) and Westfro are based in Staden. Staden is not only housing some of the largest frozen vegetables companies of Europe, it is also well known for the highly specialised manufacturers of agricultural and horticultural equipment, like Lauwers and Perdu. Staden is a very productive agricultural and horticultural area. Thanks to continuous improvement of techniques, the agriculturists and horticulturists do not only produce a very large range vegetables and flowers and animals for the local market but also for export to France, Germany, Europe in general, Asia and oversea.

Grown vegetables are: Brussels sprouts, leek, cauliflower, different kinds of lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and beans. Staden is very known for his chrysant flower production. Gediflora is world leader in producing these marvellous flowers. Staden is also the municipality with a huge production of pigs of an extreme high quality. One of Belgiums largest meat processing company (Westvlees) is located in the Westrozebeke town, part of the Staden municipality. Staden has also another smaller meat processing company named Lavameat. Two large companies (Voeders Degrave and Voeders Dick) are producing food for the pig breeding business. The Mol company has headquarters in Oostnieuwkerke, part of Staden. The company is the last and only company producer of waste handling trucks in Belgium. The company is also a large producer of trailers, special trucks and handling trucks. Staden has also many other small and middle large companies with activities in building, construction, logistics, recycling, banking, and retail. Staden has few cultural highlights, but offers a nice and open living and working space.

It is a very busy municipality and that is the reason why there is a high need for employees. Nowadays, several hundreds of French and East-European workers are taking up a lot of work. Expectations are that this amount will still grow in the future. Belgium: Ypres - Ieper - YouTube Belgium: Ypres - Ieper Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on May 15, 2014 Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. Te town had long been fortified to keep out invaders. Parts of the early ramparts, dating from 1385, still survive near the Rijselpoort (Lille Gate). Over time, the earthworks were replaced by sturdier masonry and earth structures and a partial moat. Ypres was further fortified in the 17th and 18th centuries while under the occupation of the Habsburgs and the French.

Major works were completed at the end of the 17th century by the French military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense and sustained battles between German and Allied forces. During the war, because it was hard to pronounce in English, British troops nicknamed the city "Wipers." Ypres occupied a strategic position during World War I because it stood in the path of Germany's planned sweep across the rest of Belgium and into France from the north (the Schlieffen Plan). The neutrality of Belgium was guaranteed by Britain; Germany's invasion of Belgium brought the British Empire into the war. After the war the town was rebuilt using money paid by Germany in reparations, with the main square, including the Cloth Hall and town hall, being rebuilt as close to the original designs as possible. The Cloth Hall today is home to In Flanders Fields Museum, dedicated to Ypres's role in the First World War.The whole complex was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. The Gothic-style Saint Martin's Cathedral, originally built in 1221, was also completely reconstructed after the war, but now with a higher spire.

The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres commemorates those soldiers of the British Commonwealth -- with the exception of Newfoundland -- who fell in the Ypres Salient during the First World War before 16 August 1917, who have no known grave. The memorial now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men. Every evening since 1928 (except for a period during the Second World War when Ypres was occupied by Germany), at precisely eight o'clock, traffic around the imposing arches of the Menin Gate Memorial has been stopped while the Last Post is sounded beneath the Gate by the local fire brigade. This tribute is given in honour of the memory of British Empire soldiers who fought and died there. Source: Wikipedia Bespoke school coach tours to Belgium | Destinations | Tours Designed Antwerp Ypres Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. Though Ieper is the Dutch and local name, Ypres is most commonly used in English. During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense and sustained battles between the German and the Allied forces.

During the war, due to it being hard to pronounce in English, British troops nicknamed the city "Wipers". After the war the town was rebuilt using money paid by Germany in reparations, with the main square, including the Cloth Hall and town hall, being rebuilt as close to the original designs as possible (the rest of the rebuilt town is more modern in appearance). The Cloth Hall today is home to In Flanders Fields Museum, dedicated to Ypres's role in the First World War. Today, Ypres is a small city in the very western part of Belgium, the so-called Westhoek. Ypres these days has the title of "city of peace" and maintains a close friendship with another town on which war had a profound impact: Hiroshima. Both towns witnessed warfare at its worst: Ypres was one of the first places where chemical warfare was employed, while Hiroshima suffered the debut of nuclear warfare. The city governments of Ypres and Hiroshima advocate that cities should never be targets again and campaign for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Every tour individually tailored to suit the needs of your group.

ypres - 必应 Sign in Ypres Ypres (/ˈiːprə/; French pronunciation: ​[ipʁ]; Dutch: Ieper, pronounced [ˈipər]) is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. Though Ieper is the Dutch and only official name, the city's French name, Ypres, is most commonly used in English due to its role in World War I when only French was in official use in Belgian documents, including on maps.[citation needed] The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Z ... (展开) illebeke, and Zuidschote. Together, they are home to some 34,900 inhabitants. During World War I, Ypres was the centre of intense and sustained battles between German and Allied forces. During the war, because the British troops had trouble pronouncing its name, they nicknamed the city "Wipers".

Origins to World War I Ypres is an ancient town, known to have been raided by the Romans in the first century BC. It is first mentioned by name in 1066 and is probably named after the river Ieperlee on the banks of which it was founded. During the Middle Ages, Ypres was a prosperous Flemish city with a population of 40,000 in 1200 AD, renowned for its linen trade with England, which was mentioned in the Canterbury Tales. As the third largest city in the County of Flanders (after Ghent and Bruges) Ypres played an important role in the history of the textile industry. Textiles from Ypres could be found in the markets of Novgorod in Russia in the early 12th century. In 1241, a major fire ruined much of the old city. The powerful city was involved in important treaties and battles, including the Battle of the Golden Spurs, the Battle at Mons-en-Pévèle, the Peace of Melun, and the Battle of Cassel. The famous Cloth Hall was built in the thirteenth century.

Also during this time cats, then the symbol of the devil and witchcraft, were thrown off Cloth Hall, possibly because of the belief that this would get rid of evil demons. Today, this act is commemorated with a triennial Cat Parade through town. During the Norwich Crusade, led by the English bishop Henry le Despenser, Ypres was besieged from May to August 1383, until French relief forces arrived. After the destruction of Thérouanne, Ypres became the seat of the new Diocese of Ypres in 1561, and Saint Martin's Church was elevated to cathedral. On 25 March 1678 Ypres was conquered by the forces of Louis XIV of France. It remained French under the treaty of Nijmegen, and Vauban constructed his typical fortifications that can still be seen today. In 1697, after the Treaty of Ryswick, Ypres was returned to the Spanish Crown.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the Duke of Marlborough in 1709 intended to capture Ypres, at the time a major French fortress, but changed his mind owing to the long time and effort it had taken him to capture Tournai and apprehension of disease spreading in his army in the poorly drained land around Ypres (see Battle of Malplaquet). In 1713 it was handed over to the Habsburgs, and became part of the Austrian Netherlands. In 1782 the Habsburg Austrian Emperor Joseph II ordered parts of the walls torn down. This destruction, which was only partly repaired, made it easier for the French to capture the city in the 1794 Siege of Ypres during the War of the First Coalition. Ypres had long been fortified to keep out invaders. Parts of the early ramparts, dating from 1385, still survive near the Rijselpoort (Lille Gate). Over time, the earthworks were replaced by sturdier masonry and earth structures and a partial moat.

Ypres was further fortified in the 17th and 18th centuries while under the occupation of the Habsburgs and the French. Major works were completed at the end of the 17th century by the French military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. World War I Ypres occupied a strategic position during World War I because it stood in the path of Germany's planned sweep across the rest of Belgium and into France from the north (the Schlieffen Plan). The neutrality of Belgium was guaranteed by Britain; Germany's invasion of Belgium brought the British Empire into the war. The German army surrounded the city on three sides, bombarding it throughout much of the war. To counterattack, British, French, and allied forces made costly advances from the Ypres Salient into the German lines on the surrounding hills. In the First Battle of Ypres (19 October to 22 November 1914), the Allies captured the town from the Germans. The Germans had used tear gas at the Battle of Bolimov on 3 January 1915.

Their use of poison gas for the first time on 22 April 1915 marked the beginning of the Second Battle of Ypres, which continued until 25 May 1915. They captured high ground east of the town. The first gas attack occurred against Canadian, British, and French soldiers, including both metropolitan French soldiers as well as Senegalese and Algerian tirailleurs (light infantry) from French Africa. The gas used was chlorine. Mustard gas, also called Yperite from the name of this town, was also used for the first time near Ypres, in the autumn of 1917. Of the battles, the largest, best-known, and most costly in human suffering was the Third Battle of Ypres (31 July to 6 November 1917, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele), in which the British, Canadian, ANZAC, and French forces recaptured the Passchendaele Ridge east of the city at a terrible cost of lives. After months of fighting, this battle resulted in nearly half a million casualties to all sides, and only a few miles of ground won by Allied forces.

During the course of the war the town was all but obliterated by the artillery fire. English-speaking soldiers in that war often referred to Ieper/Ypres by the deliberate mispronunciation Wipers. British soldiers even published a wartime newspaper called the Wipers Times. The same style of deliberate mispronunciation was applied to other Flemish place names in the Ypres area for the benefit of British troops, such as Whyteshaete becoming White Sheet and Ploegsteert becoming Plug Street. Ypres was one of the sites that hosted an unofficial Christmas Truce in 1914 between German and British soldiers. War memory and memorial Historian Mark Connelly states that in the 1920s, British veterans set up the Ypres League and made the city the symbol of all that they believed Britain was fighting for and gave it a holy aura in their minds. The Ypres League sought to transform the horrors of trench warfare into a spiritual quest in which British and imperial troops were purified by their sacrifice. In 1920 Lieutenant-Colonel Beckles Willson's guide book, The Holy Ground of British Arms captured the mood of the Ypres League: There is not a single half-acre in Ypres that is not sacred.

There is not a single stone which has not sheltered scores of loyal young hearts, whose one impulse and desire was to fight and, if need be, to die for England. Their blood has drenched its cloisters and its cellars, but if never a drop had been spilt, if never a life had been lost in defence of Ypres still would Ypres have been hallowed, if only for the hopes and the courage it has inspired and the scenes of valour and sacrifice it has witnessed. Ypres became a pilgrimage destination for Britons to imagine and share the sufferings of their men and gain a spiritual benefit. In the 100th anniversary period more attempts are being made to preserve the World War I heritage in and around Ypres. Town centre The imposing Cloth Hall was built in the 13th century and was one of the largest commercial buildings of the Middle Ages. The structure which stands today is the exact copy of the original medieval building, rebuilt after the war. The belfry that surmounts the hall houses a 49-bell carillon. The whole complex was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

The Gothic-style Saint Martin's Cathedral, originally built in 1221, was also completely reconstructed after the war, but now with a higher spire. It houses the tombs of Jansenius, bishop of Ypres and father of the religious movement known as Jansenism, and of Robert of Bethune, nicknamed "The Lion of Flanders", who was Count of Nevers (1273–1322) and Count of Flanders (1305–1322). Menin Gate The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing Ypres commemorates those soldiers of the British Commonwealth – with the exception of Newfoundland and New Zealand – who fell in the Ypres Salient during the First World War before 16 August 1917, who have no known grave. Those who died from that date – and all from New Zealand and Newfoundland – are commemorated elsewhere. The memorial now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

It was built and is maintained by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It commemorates those of all Commonwealth nations (except New Zealand) who died in the Salient, in the case of United Kingdom casualties before 16 August 1917. Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. Other New Zealand casualties are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery. The memorial's location is especially poignant, as it lies on the eastward route from the town, which allied soldiers would have taken towards the fighting – many never to return. Every evening since 1928 (except for a period during the Second World War when Ypres was occupied by Germany), at precisely eight o'clock, traffic around the imposing arches of the Menin Gate Memorial has been stopped while the Last Post is sounded beneath the gate by the local fire brigade. This tribute is given in honour of the memory of British Empire soldiers who fought and died there. The Menin Gate in Ypres records only the soldiers for whom there is no known grave.

As graves are identified, the names of those buried in them are removed from the Menin Gate.[citation needed] The ceremony was prohibited by occupying German forces during the Second World War, but it was resumed on the very evening of liberation – 6 September 1944 – notwithstanding the heavy fighting that still went on in other parts of the town. The lions that marked the original gate were given to Australia by the people of Belgium and can be found at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The Last Post ceremony was hosted during the German occupation of Belgium in WWII, at Brookwood Military Ceremony in England. "Who will remember, passing through this Gate, The unheroic Dead who fed the guns?\ -- Siegfried Sassoon, On Passing the Menin Gate Ypres Events The Cat Parade ("Kattenstoet") takes place every three years on the second Sunday of May. It involves the throwing of stuffed toy cats from the belfry and a colourful parade of cats and witches. The next Cat Parade takes place on 13 May 2018. Ypres is also the home of the Belgium Ypres Westhoek Rally since its creation in 1965. It is organized by the Auto Club Targa Florio.

Some of the drivers to have taken part are among the best-known names in rallying, such as Juha Kankkunen, Bruno Thiry, Henri Toivonen, Colin McRae, Jimmy McRae, Marc Duez, François Duval, and Freddy Loix among others. Ypres holds an annual canoe polo tournament in which teams come from all over Europe to play. On 9 July 2014, the 101st Tour de France started stage 5 in Ypres. During the last weekend of August each year, Ypres hosts the Ieperfest, one of the biggest European festivals in the hardcore punk subculture. William of Ypres, a commander of Flemish mercenaries in England who was reckoned among the more able of the military commanders fighting for King Stephen of England in his 19-year civil war with the Empress Matilda. Jacob Clemens non Papa (ca.

1510–1556), Renaissance composer Cornelius Jansen (1585–1638), bishop of Ypres and father of the Jansenism movement Jules Malou (1810–1886), politician, Prime Minister of Belgium from 1871 to 1878 and in 1884 Alphonse Vandenpeereboom (nl) (1812–1884), politician, minister Albert Nyssens (nl) (1855–1901) Minister of Industry and Labour, Lawyer, University Professor, Julien Nyssens (1859–1910) engineer, builder of Zeebrugge harbour. Albert Devèze (1881–1959), politician, minister Paul Sobry (nl) (1895–1954), university professor Simona Noorenbergh (b. 1907 – Fane 1990), nun, social worker, co-founder of Fane, Papua New Guinea John French, 1st Earl of Ypres Antoon Verschoot (b.

1925), since 1954 chief bugler at the Menin Gate for the daily Last Post ceremony. Walter Fiers (b.Ypres, 1931), molecular biologist Marc Vervenne (1949– ), emeritus dean Leuven university Jo Lernout and Pol Hauspie, founders of the speech technology company Lernout & Hauspie Henk Lauwers (b. 1956), classical baritone singer Catherine Verfaillie (b. Ypres, 1957), MD and stem cell pioneer Nicholas Lens (b. 1957), opera composer Edouard Vermeulen (b. 1957), fashion designer Renaat Landuyt (b. 1959), politician, Belgian minister Erik Vermeulen (b. 1959), jazz pianist Yves Leterme (b. 1960), politician, former prime minister of Belgium Isaac Delahaye (b.

1982), lead guitarist of God Dethroned and Epica ^ Population per municipality on 1 January 2013 (XLS; 607.5 KB) ^ "Ieper: historical background". Greatwar.co.uk. 2011-10-10. Retrieved 2013-09-13. ^ ^ IBN JALDUN. Retrieved 5 October 2014. ^ Life & Work In Medieval Europe. Retrieved 5 October 2014. ^ "See chapter 5.6.2 (in Dutch)". Ethesis.net. 1914-11-23. Retrieved 2013-09-13. ^ Phipps, Ramsay Weston (2011). The Armies of the First French Republic: Volume I The Armée du Nord. USA: Pickle Partners Publishing. p.317. ISBN978-1-908692-24-5. ^ Goode, Dominic (2006). "Ypres". fortified-places.com.

Retrieved 12 April 2014. ^ "TV review: The Wipers Times, BBC2 - A bit like Blackadder, only true" Independent 12 September 2013 ^ Mark Connelly, "The Ypres League and the Commemoration of the Ypres Salient, 1914-1940," War in History (2009) 16#1 pp 51-76, quote p 55 ^ Connelly, "The Ypres League and the Commemoration of the Ypres Salient, 1914-1940," pp 51-76 ^ "Mayors for Peace 2020 Vision Campaign". 2020visioncampaign.org. Retrieved 2013-09-13. ^ The gate is called "Menin Gate" because it is situated on the road to the Flemish city of Menen. ^ "404". Retrieved 5 October 2014. ^ "CWGC - Homepage". Retrieved 5 October 2014.

^ Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine ^

Question: During World War I, which Belgian city that was the centre of intense battles was nicknamed 'wipers'?
Answer: Ypres